


let's weather any storm

by Kharasma



Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/F, Gen, Post-Final Fantasy VII Remake, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28514784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kharasma/pseuds/Kharasma
Summary: It's unseasonably cold at the start of their long journey. Some members of the team deal with this less well than others.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough & Tifa Lockhart & Red XIII | Nanaki & Cloud Strife & Barret Wallace, Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26
Collections: fandomtrees





	let's weather any storm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lunarium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/gifts).



It had only been a few days since their departure from Midgar, and the world beyond the steel sky already held new surprises for Aerith. Even at this time of year, snow this far south wasn’t supposed to happen...was it? She’d had that feeling about a lot of things lately, but there wasn’t much she could do about it now but focus on putting her best foot forward . The biting wind was tough to push through, though.

Up ahead were the two most visible members of their small group. Barret and Red had the honor of co-leading their expedition through the unseasonable snowstorm. Thankfully, after their initial bickering, the two had come to a truce. For the most part, anyway. Aerith smiled to herself as Barret’s booming voice rose over the relentless wind. 

“Snow, hey, go away, we don’t need you anyway! It’s already a shitty day, so make like Shin-Ra and blow---”

“Are you sure that’s where you want this song to go?” growled Red, his tail swishing along to the rhythm of the music despite his grouching. 

“Sure is! Let’s blow it all away! Hey, think we can use a wind spell for that?”

“Doubtful. Even the strongest spell is no match for the forces of Gaia. It’s a miracle that our planet is hospitable to life at all still, given how it’s been abused…”

“Come on Red, let’s be positive. I know it’s hard...but we already know we can make a big difference! The path might not be clear right now…” Aerith chimed in.

“ _Especially_ not right now,” grunted Cloud, vigorously rubbing his gloves together. He didn't seem to say much...but Aerith knew by now he had a one-track mind, and it would take a little more work to get through to him. That was okay, they had some time.

“But we’ll get there when we get there,” Tifa assured them all. “We’re tough. We can do this.”

“Damn straight! Shin-Ra’s getting what’s coming to ‘em, once we beat the hell out of this Sephiroth asshole! And everything'll be right as rain again. So everybody stay focused, keep your heads up. We’ll make it through, and then we’re coming home! Hang in there Marlene, Daddy’s waiting!"

By Aerith’s count, that was Barret’s third motivational speech of the day. They’d gotten shorter...which must mean even he was starting to feel the frosty weather. They’d have to set up camp soon, and hopefully they could still light a fire with all this snowfall in the way! She could really use one to warm her hands, come to think of it. She rubbed them together and breathed into them as she walked, a sort of half-hop between Barret's footprints to try to keep her dress dry. Oh---

"Okay, I'll be honest, this weather's kinda rough..."

"Maybe we can make it not so bad?"

Another gloved hand suddenly caught Aerith’s. Tifa’s warm smile appearing in her peripheral vision, much to Aerith's relief. The bartender hummed softly to herself as she rubbed warmth into Aerith’s freezing fingers, then guided her hands into a spare set of gloves. Aerith smiled when she realized that Tifa had given her the best gloves, the pink and purple ones.

“I know they’re not perfect without the finger covering. But this’ll help a little until we get to the next town,” Tifa offered apologetically. She was always apologizing for something, oh Tifa. How had she come to take so much weight on her shoulders? Well, that just wouldn’t do! As Tifa moved to pull back. Aerith twisted her wrist, lacing their fingers together.

“Then you’ll just have to hold my hand until we settle for the night,” Aerith decided, smiling brightly at her friend. Ah yes, Tifa had fallen into her expertly laid trap! Score one for Aerith. Her grin grew even wider as she snuck a peek at Tifa’s face...it was impossible to tell if the red cheeks were from Aerith’s schemes or the bitter wind, but there was no mistaking the way her eyes widened.

“...Aerith?” Tifa was clearly still processing this development, but she wasn’t loosening her grip. She curled her fingers inside Aerith’s.

“Don't bother arguing, your gloves are fingerless too. You’re just as cold, I can feel it. Let’s leave the Mr. Tough Guy act to Cloud, okay?”

Tifa’s gaze flickered to him instinctively, and Aerith followed. Their spiky-headed leader looked as stoic as ever...but even his feet were dragging. Up ahead, she noted that Barret seemed to be feeling it: he’d shifted to stand to Red’s right, bringing his left hand closer to their newest companion’s fiery tail. 

Did everyone have to be so ridiculously stubborn? Tifa squeezed her hand, seemingly thinking the same thing. “Hey, Aerith, think we should make them stop?”

“Don’t worry, you don't have to tell me twice,” Aerith answered with a wink. She sucked in a deep breath, invigorated by the brisk air filling her lungs.

“HEY!” she bellowed, purple and pink clad fist pumping into the air.

Cloud, Barret, and Red turned as one toward Aerith and Tifa. If they were surprised to see the women holding hands, they certainly didn’t show it---even if Tifa’s face had become even redder.

“We think it’s time we stopped for the night,” Tifa said first. “It’s getting dark fast, and the last thing we need is to get lost.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Red groused.

“Hey, that cave was a planned detour,” Cloud defended. “We found those rare ores to sell, right?”

“Not that rare,” added Barret. “But it’ll get us more gear. We need it.”

“Exactly,” and that was Aerith’s cue to strike. “We need gear! Cold weather gear, to be precise. We’re all freezing our butts off---and don’t you dare try to deny it,” she pressed on, before anyone could interrupt. “Time to cozy up, make a fire, and get well-rested for tomorrow, right? The storm should definitely blow over by then.”

“Probably,” Tifa couldn’t help but add.

“ _Definitely_ \---I want to see some optimism. Now come on, I see some thick trees right there! Give me the tents.”

And before anyone could blink, Aerith dragged Tifa over to Barret, forcefully claiming the tents from him---then to Cloud to seize the food. Within a few minutes, they’d set up the pair of tents, lit a fire with Red’s help, and set that night’s soup over the fire. 

Tifa served the soup as she usually did, tossing a blanket over Cloud’s shoulders as she did so---

He lifted it off, holding it out to her in a balled fist. “Don’t need it, here. You’ll freeze, Tifa---”

“...really, Cloud?” Tifa tapped her foot, just a hint of skepticism in her voice. Time for Aerith to step in with a little more force.

“Hey, Tifa gave it to you, Cloud. You're taking it. And if you don’t keep it on, we’ll make you!” Aerith grinned.

Cloud snorted, clearly skeptical of this claim. His greatest error. He completely missed the look Aerith and Tifa shared over his shoulder, only jolting to the realization that they were serious when one blanket and two pairs of arms wrapped around him at once.

“Mmff---” Oh, his face was _definitely_ red from embarrassment. Aerith and Tifa both knew not to hang on too long, but the tiny smile on his face was victory enough. The three sat together for a moment, and just when Cloud started to squirm they pulled back. But he kept the blanket on, which was victory enough.

“Thanks,” Cloud told them both, the faintest trace of a smile on his face. A heartwarming sight. Score two for Aerith! All things considered, she was having a decent night. They smiled at each other a moment longer, before Tifa called Aerith’s attention to the two other men currently re-lighting the fire---they’d somehow snuffed it out while lifting the soup kettle away.

By silent agreement, Tifa took to Barret’s side, while Aerith joined Red at the fire to re-light it. Fire lighting was a quiet affair for them, so Aerith found herself listening as Tifa served dinner.

“It’s not my best---I'm sorry. Didn’t have time to pack up all the broth with the...you know…”

“Aww, Tifa, don’t you worry about it. You’re keeping us going,” Barret promised her, taking a big spoonful of the soup with his usual smile. “Hey, isn't this what you made when Marlene was sick?”

“I did,” a small smile. “I know---I miss her too. But like you said...we’ve got a lot to do. And we’re going to do it. Every storm passes, so you just have to fight to survive.”

“That’s right. Looks like I taught you well.”

As they shared a quiet moment, Aerith turned to Red, the last blanket in her hands.

“Hey, are you..cold?” she asked, placing the soup in front of him at a respectful distance. He really didn’t like to be fed like a cat, as she’d learned with disastrous results on their first night.

“Not at all. As you can see, I’m much better equipped to handle an unusual weather event than humans who fail to check the week's forecast,” he snickered. “Save the blankets for yourselves.”

“Hey, I was up in the lab with you and they didn't give us the newspaper, remember? And the others didn’t really have time to…”

“Oh, I remember,” Red answered, flashing that wolfish grin up at her as he made his way to the soup bowl. “It was merely a joke. But you needn’t worry about me. Worry about yourselves,”

With that out of the way, Aerith turned to Tifa---who was now shifting from foot to foot, looking at that last blanket.

“You can keep it, Aerith,” Tifa offered. “I grew up in the mountains, I’m pretty used to the cold.”

"Nope, not getting away from me tonight,” Aerith shot back, already dragging Tifa down onto the nearest log and slinging the blanket around both of them. Once Tifa was secure, Aerith progressed to snuggling against her side. “This is perfectly cozy and you’re not gonna take that from me.”

“...I’m that cozy?” Tifa asked, apparently slightly baffled by this bold declaration.

“You sure are!”

“Okay then. I guess...well…I guess it's a good time to talk.”

“ I’m all ears.”

Aerith could feel Tifa’s slight tremble. She hesitated, but that was pretty usual...but that Aerith could feel her breath against her cheek was _not._

“I wanted to say...thanks---it’s been a lot better with you here. Keeping us focused.”

“Well I’m glad to be here,” Aerith answered, once again lacing their fingers together under the blanket. “It's not the perfect weather, that's for sure. But once the storm passes, it’s gonna look a lot better.”

“Right. Just gotta keep our heads up and we’ll get where we’re going,” Tifa smiled. "Is your head full of Barret’s speeches by now too?”

"Memorized them all!" Aerith agreed with a bright laugh. “And just think of how much better it will be tomorrow. Clear skies, even if it's still cold...and all the fun we'll have.”

“Like what?”

“Oh...I was thinking. You’re from up north so you’re used to all this snow, right?”

“Yes…”

“So does that mean you can ice skate?” Aerith asked, gleeful. 

“Only a little! Just enough to get over a frozen river. I’m not a champion figure skater or anything like that.”

“Yeah, if you were a champion martial artist, super bartender, ace cook, and figure skater...nobody’s that perfect, right?”

“Not when she’s next to an amazing florist, coliseum champion, mother to children, and escape artist,” Tifa smiled. Oh, how the tables had turned! Aerith could feel her face heating up. That was new.

And suddenly Tifa’s face was even closer. “Okay. We’ll dig up some old blades and I’ll teach you to skate tomorrow. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it looks.”

“Maybe that’s easy for you to say,” Aerith said fondly, shaking her head. Oh, she could just picture herself skidding by on her butt. But Tifa wasn’t having any of it.

"You’ll see! Trust me this time...you'll be okay with me. It’s a promise.”

And then, shocking Aerith more than anything else had that day, Tifa pressed a fleeting kiss to her cheek. It was so feather-light she could’ve imagined it---like a snowflake, or a brush of feather.

But the shy little smile on Tifa’s face told Aerith that it was all too real. 

“Hey, Tifa...one more thing?”

“Yes?”

“I think you missed.” 

And then Aerith took her greatest leap of faith---score three for Aerith. Come what may...whether it be winter weather or destiny itself, they’d fight their way through the storm. And with company like this? There was nowhere else she’d rather be.


End file.
